*** A solid 4-star boutique hotel/resort. ***…read more 5 days and 4 nights is all we needed to feel "re-energized" by their all-inclusive package. Architectural design and interior is modern. Overall a vibrant & hip vibe, not a quiet spot. If you're usually a fan of boutique hotels then I think that you'll love Live Aqua. It is quaint, centrally located along 5th Ave promenade, just a couple blocks from beach, a rooftop bar and 2 restaurants to cover your needs. Even room service is available, if desired. Special appreciation to host who greeted us upon our arrival (David), our bartender (Fernando), and our fave server (Frank) for being very attentive and conversational too. Service overall is excellent. Main restaurant cuisine varies every night. I recommend the fried fish & beef fillet entrees. They are best! Sushi & Tapas (rooftop) best selections are salmon sashimi and croquetas ... very good. Their occasional rooftop "pop-up" grill also serves some good pork ribs & steak kebabs. Otherwise food and drinks are just par imho. +1 star for DJ spinning house/lounge tunes. -1 star for the A/C unit in our room. Though it cools well, it was quite loud at times when it turned on/off thru the night. Sup with that? Also we did not get a balcony room this visit. Definitely requesting it in advance next time. Despite that ... our king bed was very comfy. *** I'm sure to ret'n when times permits. ***

Live Aqua was a great stay for us on every level. Let's break it down - it's a small property…read morelocated on 5th and 30th (60 rooms?) and it's adults only. Rooms - large, very clean, stylish! AC worked well, lovely rainfall shower and really comfy beds. Mini bars are restocked daily and you can get room service 24/7. We had a nice little balcony too. Street noise WILL be a thing on the weekends so bring earplugs or get out there and party. Facility - everything was SUPER clean. There's a rooftop bar with a sushi/tapas restaurant for midday food. The pool is rooftop as well & perfect for your most Instagram- worthy photos. If you want a place with tennis, archery etc this ain't it - you're here to completely relax. It's not a "party" place either - the other guests are generally chill too. Food & Drinks - for an all-inclusive we were very impressed. Breakfast highlights were the green juice, French toast and the fresh quesadillas with hand made tortillas. For lunch, we loved the shrimp & fish tacos, fresh guacamole and the sushi rolls. Dinner rotated nightly - Asian, Mediterranean, BBQ, Mexican (the best IMO). Again, we were pretty impressed with dinners - tasty fish, incredible desserts! Drinks include everything you'd need plus a really nice Sauv Blanc wine and craft cocktails. Location - a few minutes walk to the beach, literal steps to everything on 5th, many convenience stores nearby. That comes with some noise but IMO I liked being in the center of it all. Service - it took a really good experience and made it GREAT. By day 2, staff knew our drink preferences and honestly, just were all around amazing. Ivan, Oscar, Fernando, Epigmenio, Marisol, Pedro, Angel and our main man Frank deserve special recognition but everyone was great! They even made us a special dessert on our last night. All the thumbs up here - a great stay made better by great people!!

This is a wonderful resort, y'all! The amenities, the service, and the views are spectacular!! The…read morestaff was great! Very attentive and friendly. I visited this resort last week for the Cancún Jazz Festival. It was amazing! I'm withholding one star for two reasons. the bathtub in our room was dirty. 2 the food was mediocre. I expected more flavor in Mexico but sadly I was disappointed. Still I recommend this spot. Also great for weddings.

My husband and I truly had a lovely vacation here in amazing Mexico. We were here for a great…read morefriend's wedding celebrations. Having been here a full week, here is our honest and thorough feedback: 1. The wedding coordination for this wedding leading up to the main event was pretty spectacular. I think by 6 months prior to the big day, we already had all accommodations, travel, and vehicle transport to and from the airport all ironed out. Not a small feat!! Very convenient and it's clear this is the place to host weddings, birthdays, or other milestone celebrations. 2. We knew from social media that the seaweed was bad this year, and it's clearly depicted and discussed on the hotel info. But the seaweed is worse than it's ever been....smelly, LARGE quantities, and even as a lover of the ocean it truly does not make you want to swim. The water had a hue of brown due to the high quantity of seaweed. Not the hotels fault- and they clearly did all they could to make it manageable, tractors 2-3x a day to clear it and employees with snorkels to bring sand back onto the beachfront for guests via large suction hoses...this is sadly a large scale operation for an equally as large of a problem for guests. The only time we got in was during our snorkel tour at the reef several miles from shore. The water in Mexico is SO beautiful and warm and sadly, we didn't get to enjoy this aspect at the resort. 3. Service here is mostly exceptional. Of course there is always exceptions to the majority- the store owners here with the boutiques were not friendly and prices were not ideal. While we usually leave with souvenirs, we only left with one we got from a pop- up artisan on one of the nights. 4. The hotel maintains great standing amongst resorts- several years running of four diamond status from AAA 2024-2026. The grounds are beautiful, mowed often, bars are constantly restocked. However, certain aspects of our stay weren't treated with this care- our hot tub on the balcony was very dirty. Never cleaned out or maintained throughout our stay, we had to constantly call room service for more towels and room cleans. I understand many hotels do this for efficiency and environmental purposes, but we never opted out of this and for a week long stay we expected more diligent service. 5. Food was only ok. The restaurant Tamarindo was our favorite for breakfast and dinner, and the buffet has great chefs making custom omelets and crepes- those were awesome. Coco cafe has cappuccinos and affogatos all included!!! Usually that's extra- so we loved that. No freshly squeezed juices unfortunately which I found odd. The sushi place was sadly terrible. AC was lacking and the server constantly tried to rush us out. Their reservation system for hibachi is broken (despite the hotel denying this fact). Food quality in most areas left much to be desired. Fortunately- the fresh conscripted mangos and passion fruits made up for the areas food lacked in for me personally. 6. Sports complex on the roof was impossible to use. The heat made it impossible to tolerate. 7. Resort offered excursions and massages weren't great deals. We opted for a local snorkel tour and paid 1/3 of the price! They did attempt to push the timeshare on us a few times but fortunately we were able to opt out. I love Mexico, I've been 3x and I will continue to come to Mexico! A week here is like a month of downtime in the US. Truly so beautiful here. Thank you Dreams Jade!

So so bad- we stayed in a VRBO within the hotel and have nothing good to say. We tried the all…read moreinclusive for a day and it was disgusting. The food was so mediocre and made half of my family sick. They promise 3 restaurants for dinner and only one was open during our stay and it has 20 total tables. The highest tier alcohol is Smirnoff and they probably fill it with water. Dangerous construction on property, elevators didn't work half of the time. Power surges in and out. Dirty pool and beach.

This was my first all inclusive and i gotta say it was so pretty! I'm impressed! This hotel has…read morewonderful views, we were up on the 7th floor and loved that cause we could see the ocean and the lagoon, sunrise and sunset! The lobby is beautiful, it's a smaller resort so we could easily find out way around. Lots of choices for food and drinks, we never went hungry! But I ended up in the buffet the most, just loved it! So many choices, you could get a different meal every time! Stick with the Mexican foods, so good! Swim up bar, get any drinks your wanted in the pool, so pretty! Easy access to the beach and walking along we saw turtles just hatching! Our room was comfortable with the AC working great, very clean! Bring lots of $1 for tipping, many employees all around!

We just returned from an 8-day, 7-night stay in an Excellence Club Ocean View Swim-Up suite, and I…read morecan confidently say we will never book another room type again. The Excellence Club experience is absolutely worth it and made our vacation feel even more special. What keeps us coming back to Excellence Riviera Cancun isn't just the beautiful resort, comfortable rooms, or incredible food, it's the people. The staff genuinely treats you like family and makes you feel cared for from the moment you arrive until the moment you leave. We made it to every restaurant during our stay, and the dining exceeded our expectations. Magna's tomahawk steak was phenomenal, but Basmati completely stole our hearts. It was hands down our favorite restaurant, and the food was a 15/10. We were talking about going back before we had even finished our meal. The service is what truly sets this resort apart. Amable went above and beyond every single day. She quickly learned who we were, remembered what we liked, and always took the time to chat with us and make us feel special. By the end of the trip, she felt like family. Saying goodbye was incredibly emotional. She gave me the biggest hug before we left and told us she couldn't wait to see us again in January. She truly made our vacation unforgettable. Joel was another standout. We bonded over our love of reading, but what impressed us most was the care he put into making each day special. Every morning, our daybed was perfectly prepared before we even arrived, with towels laid out and everything ready for us to relax. He remembered that we were celebrating our anniversary, and he and Raul surprised us with the sweetest towel art in our room to celebrate. After noticing how much I loved fresh coconuts, Joel started bringing one to me every afternoon without me even asking. It's those thoughtful little touches that turn a great vacation into an unforgettable one. Excellence Riviera Cancun continues to set the standard for what an all-inclusive resort should be. Between the exceptional staff, delicious food, beautiful accommodations, and the added benefits of Excellence Club, it's become our favorite place to vacation. The biggest compliment we can give is that we were already planning our next trip before this one ended. We'll be back in January, and I'm sure many more times after that. Thank you to everyone at ERC for another unforgettable stay. We already can't wait to come home.

This place is amazing! We will absolutely be back. Clean, friendly service, anything we asked for…read morethey would do their best to accommodate. Loved the pools, especially the lazy river. All of the restaurants are great, my favorites were Basmati and Spice. The only room for improvement: I wish there were healthier options available by the pools do lunch. The taco truck is great but doesn't open until 4pm.. a little late for lunch. I don't want fries/hotdog/burger/nachos for lunch. The Linux buffet was great, but it would've been nice to have a salad or tacos by the pool. Loved the shows and trivia every night! Can't wait to go back.

Nice character hotel with courtyard overlooking beautiful good pool and gardens. Very comfortable…read morebeds and pillows. Clean spacious rooms with mini fridge and coffee maker. Friendly staff. In the evening, music can be heard from local venues. Was nice and we didn't have any trouble sleeping.

I stayed at this hotel for one night as a walk-in because I was waiting for the keys to a purchased…read morecondo. This hotel has a lot of charm. The rooms are large and the balcony was a great addition. My room was in front of the hotel where I had a great view of Avenida 10. The staff was super friendly and amazing. They even recommended places to go and places to eat. And I must say they did not steer us wrong. I wholeheartedly recommend this hotel if you want to be close to all the action and the beach.

Wife and I had a most AMAZING time romping around naked for a few days here. Not a lifestyle hotel…read moreat all...just an au natural resort. Very relaxing...very chill....wonderful clientele..and some amazing massages at the beach. A cute little niche boutique hotel. Food was plentiful, though a bit uneven..but would come back here in a heart beat. And hopefully will some day.

I'll put my full review on TripAdvisor, but it's worth posting a quick redux here as well…read more All said, Hidden Beach is one of the premiere clothing-optional vacation destinations on the planet. The friendly staff, the (mostly) all-inclusive menus, the swim-up bar, the king size beds. All good stuff. But for what you pay, and the fact that they put themselves out there as a five-star resort, I have to say, "Well maybe a 5* resort circa 1983. The rooms are definitely showing their age, totally lacking in electrical outlets for charging your gadgets, and the general ambiance is simply a bit below what you'd expect at that price point at any number of newer resorts on the Riviera Maya. We also agreed to take the "1-hour meeting" with Exotic Travel with the prospect of enjoying reduced rates in the future. The "no-pressure" pitch suddenly became very HIGH pressure at about the 90-minute mark at which point we decided to cut our losses. Seems they didn't want us to go back to our loungers to chat with other guests who've been a bit less than satisfied with their Exotic Travel investments. Hmmmm.... Will we go back? Probable. If we can get a decent rate without making a 10 year commitment.

We just returned from Viceroy and had such a relaxing and amazing time!…read more - The staff are all welcoming, genuinely friendly and super attentive -prior to checkin I let them know mosquitoes absolutely love me , they had spray upon my arrival (organic and off!) and they sprayed my patio and had a netting around the bed all set up. I never had any bites until I left the resort my last night for a wedding ! - food: We ate at both restaurants and the food was excellent. Especially the shrimp and octopus dishes. Cocktails were done right! Not watered down like other places . - beach - this resort seems to have the best beach area as compared to nearby resorts with actual sand The pool is a perfect size and was never crowded . Pepe and staff always took care of you. -gratuity - 16% service was added automatically to your bills. This is not an all inclusive , for the quality of service we made sure to bring $USD to add tip for everyone. They all work so hard in the heat to make your experience memorable! -Spa - Splurge for this! Best way to start our days first thing with massages and facials . You can also use the jacuzzi and steam room daily without services. I frequent Burke Williams and their masseuses are good , strong too ! They did our services outdoor for couples in this serene area with a fountain running. -room - we enjoyed the premium villas, super spacious with walk in closet, shower and bath tub . All the villas are close so a short walk to the pool - There is a little bass coming from the next door resort's DJ at night, but when I closed the windows , it was very muffled and did not bother us at all. - long drive from main road - so expect a secluded spot . They will call you a taxi that gets there in 20 min. Download WhatsApp and text the same taxi will take you back. Felt safe ! We can't wait to come back someday! Definitely highly recommend this place for all couples who just need to relax.

Paradise for sure! We felt pampered the moment we stepped into the beautiful outdoor lobby. Staff…read moreis eager to please! From the welcome coconut drink and cool towels to the thorough tour ( thanks Claudia) ,check in was a great experience. Bellmen we're very friendly and helpful. And our villa was just gorgeous! Heated plunge pool, hammock, and more great you as you enter the area. You are in the jungle, so there is a lot of natural privacy. Inside the villa, you will be caught up in the romantic vibe thanks to the sweet and decadent decor. Outdoor shower brings you close to nature. Many special touches await. Poolside is another area to be spoiled- by Pepe and crew. They will get you anything you want, no need to lift a finger. And the wait staff at Coral restaurant are very thorough. They seem more like personal butlers rather than waiters, taking the time to get to know their guests by name, and learning their food and drink preferences. This area is also beautiful, with a view of the ocean. And the spa is very relaxing, access to the spa facilities including the steam room, jacuzzi is complimentary with your stay. Viceroy isn't without its flaws. The small beach is barely swimable due to the coral/rocks. And though they work to remove the seaweed, if you come from May-Nov that will be somewhat of a pain ( the whole area not just here). And there is music that drifts over from the next door hotel which at times annoys. It wasn't too bad while we were here, but was noticiable. There are mosquitos and rainforest animals around, so if you're not okay with seeing agouti while eating breakfast on your patio, this isn't your place. And yes it's pricey. Nevertheless the quality, service, and beauty of this resort make up for any issues. We didn't want to leave!

Outstanding experience, week of 2/6-2/13. My boyfriend…read morejoined me for his first experience as a platinum UVC member! I may have set his standards too high now. Check in was not very efficient and not very personal. Things improved after we got settled in our room, ocean view king preferred. We had a blast at the pool and service was great. Amy, Saul and Rosa took care of us! Embers was fabulous, we ate there 2 times, with Wilbur and Omar. Bone marrow was fantastic. Bamboo for Thai fusion was great for lunch, with Jorge, waiting on us and Chief Ignacio introducing himself! Breakfast and lunch on rooftop preferred restaurant was the best, but made no personal connections. It was Super Bowl weekend and they had amazing set up inside and out, we decided on indoors! Noel, Eduardo Armando, and Noel all came through to make this experience unforgettable.!!! Hidden disco was fun and beach was walkable and clean. The only downside was that large groups (convention size) would take over pool. Pool 5 stars, food 5 stars, room 5 stars! We will be back!

BRING INSECT REPELLENT AND LEAVE YOUR HEELS AT HOME LADIES…read more IF YOU WANT SPECIAL ATTENTION, STAY AT SECRETS MAROMA. Keep your expectations low if you've stayed at other Secrets resorts. This place was such a disappointment, especially for almost $750/night with Preferred. Pros: Multiple pools, cool infinity pool, Preferred Observatory restaurant, Marketplace buffet, nice Preferred lounge, and most staff were friendly. Cons: Tons of mosquitoes (bring bug spray), even found a roach in the pool. You can't make restaurant reservations until you arrive, even if you email ahead. The app and digital room key barely worked. No fireworks for the 4th of July. No butler service. Nothing special for our anniversary besides a banner. All the pools were heated (gross in July). Slow elevators with no A/C. Rooms are outdated, smelled like sewage in the bathroom, and the A/C wasn't cool enough at night. Uneven walkways everywhere--don't wear heels. We came here because YouTube made this place look amazing. Huge mistake. We've stayed at Secrets Maroma and this didn't even come close. Check-in was just okay. No champagne when we arrived. The Preferred lounge was nice, but the app was garbage. Just ask for a physical room key. Our "beach view" overlooked mostly a parking lot. The room was spacious but worn down. Shower door barely opened, mold in places, flashing smoke detector all night, bathroom smelled terrible, and the room got hot every night even with the A/C turned down. Room service took almost an hour every time. The Preferred infinity pool was the best part of the resort. Get there early because chairs fill up fast. Service there was excellent. But why are ALL the pools heated? It's already hot and humid outside. Restaurants were our biggest complaint. We stayed only 3 nights over the 4th of July and couldn't get a single reservation because you can't book until you arrive. Ember was decent with good service. Suki completely ruined our trip. We got there right when they opened but were forced to sit outside because they said every indoor table was reserved. Within minutes I was getting eaten alive by mosquitoes. I told them I'm allergic and asked to move inside. They refused, even though indoor tables stayed empty almost our entire meal because people never showed up. Management only apologized and wouldn't even remove one Japanese beer from our bill. They later said they would, but never did. That's what frustrated me the most--not the food, but how they handled the situation. The 4th of July beach party was another mess. We waited about 30 minutes just to get seated, then had to wait in another long buffet line. We left early. If you paid extra for reserved seating, you skipped the line. The Marketplace buffet was actually one of our favorite places. The Preferred Observatory restaurant also had the best breakfast and lunch. Coco Café had good coffee and cookies. Overall, this resort felt crowded and impersonal. Preferred really wasn't worth the extra money. Between the reservation issues, outdated rooms, heated pools, poor anniversary recognition, and how management handled our complaint, we won't be back. We'd stay at Secrets Maroma again without thinking twice.